Beer faucet and tap



Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES BEER FAUCET AND TAP Kenneth Miles Burdge, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor of two-thirds to Louis Valerio, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 28',v 1934, Serial No. 728,032

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beer faucet and tap, and has more particular reference to an improved beer faucet having means for coupling it to the tap bushing ordinarily secured to the head of a beer barrel or keg, and provided with a reciprocating valve operable to drive the cork out of the tapl bushing of the barrel or keg when the faucet is initially coupled thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind which issimple and durable in construction, elcient inoperation, and otherwise well adapted tol meet with all of the requirements for a successful commercial use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind Whose parts may be economically manufactured and initially assembled in a ready manner, and which parts may be readily disassembled for renewal or repair.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind which, while adapted for general use, is especially suitable for use in connection with ap.- paratus for cooli-ng and dispensing beer and other beverages of the type disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No, 701,190', filed December 6, 1933, whereby such apparatus may readily make use of the ordinary beer barrel or keg as the inner container thereof.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus equipped with a faucet and tap constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof, partlyV broken away and in section,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, show-v ing details of the improved faucet and tap, and illustrating the manner in which itis installed on the outer container ofthe cooling and dispensing apparatus and coupled to the barrel forming the inner beverage containerv of such apparatus.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of As pointed out above, the present invention is adapted for general use, and I have illustrated merely byl way of example a specic embodiment of. the invention adapted for usev in connection with a beverage coolingl and dispensing apparatus of the type disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application. As shown, such apparatus includes 5 a rectangular outer receptacle 5 having a removable lid 6 and provided with handles 8, said outer receptacle and its lid being of spaced double Wall construction for heat insulating purposes. Removably mounted within the outer receptacle 5 is l0 a beverage container which, by reason of the present improved faucet and tap, may be provided with an ordinary tap bushing B such as commonly provided on beer barrels, or kegs.. The space between the beverage container l and the Walls of l5 the outer receptacle v is of course adapted to be filled with4 ice for the purpose of cooling the beverage in and to be dispensed from said container i0' through the tap bushing B. The beverage in container |10 is maintained under pressure by com- 20 pressed air supplied from a compressed air storage tank 39 mounted on the front wall of receptacle 5 and preferably connected by a pipe 4Q so as to be: in communication with the interior of container I0 as will be presently described. The 25 drain pan 2'4 is hinged to the front of the receptacle 5,. as. and for the purpose described in my aforesaid co-pending application.. The tap bush-- ing B is: provided at one end with the usual screw nipple 50, by means of which it is permanently secured in the wall of the container Ill, and with a coupling nipple 5| Which has two interrupted cam flanges 52 for the purpose of ordinarily coupling a tap thereto. The bushing has a central bore to receive the usual closure bung or cork 53, and is provided with an annular flange Ell which forms the seat for the bushing in the Wall of the container I0.

In accordance with the present invention, a special faucet and tap i3 is provided for con- 40 trolling discharge of the beverage from the container lll, and for initially driving the bung or cork 53 out of the tapy bushing B when said faucet and tap i8 is coupled to said tap bushing. In the embodiment illustrated, the faucet and tap includes a casing 55- provided at its inner end with areduced tubular extension 56. In the illustrated embodiment, this extension includes an outer section integral with the body 55 and an inner section 5l having an externally 50 threaded outer end detachably threaded into the inner' end of said outer section and having a clamping nut 5.8 adjustably threaded thereon, said outer section being formed at its inner end with an. external annular flange 59, This pro- 55 vides simple and efficient means for mounting the faucet and tap on the front wall of the outer receptacle 5, the extension section 55 having its outer end tted in and extending through a suitable opening in such wall, and said wall being tightly clamped between the ange 59 and the clamping nut 5S. Formed on the tubular extension 55 adjacent its inner end is an annular external ange 6G, the inner end of extension 56 being reduced to form a short nipple 5l projecting at the inner side of the flange 65 and having a packing gasket 52 tted thereon in contact with the inner side of flange 5G. Journaled on the tubular extension 56 at the outer side of flange Sil is an externally threaded adjusting bushing G3 having a polygonal outer end to facilitate turning thereof by means of a wrench or the like. Having threaded engagement with the adjusting bushing 5S at its outer end as indicated at 55 is a coupling sleeve 55 enclosing flange G and gasket 52, and formed at its inner end with an inwardly projecting annular flange provided with inwardly projecting coupling lugs 58 at diametrically opposite points, as is conventional in the construction of ordinary beer taps. n practice, the container lil is positioned so that the coupling nipple 5I of the tap bushing B abuts the gasket 52 as shown in Figure 3, the coupling lugs 58 of coupling sleeve 55 being engaged behind the interrupted flanges 5i of said tap bushing. The coupling sleeve 55 is then suitably held against turning while the adjusting bushing 54 is rotated in a direction to shift the coupling sleeve 55 outwardly and thereby draw the nipple 5l, gasket 5f and flange Sil into intimate relation and thereby provide a close and leakproof joint between the tap bushing and the extension 55 of the faucet body. A reversal of this operation is of course all that is necessary to uncouple the faucet from the container I when the latter becomes emptied and it is desired to replace such empty container with a filled one. It will be particularly noted that the coupling sleeve 55 is rotatable relative to the faucet or its tubular extension so as to facilitate its disengagement from the tap bushing of the container lll, even though the faucet is immovable when rnounted in the front wall of the outer container 5. This is a distinction between the present device and ordinary beer taps, the coupling sleeves of the latter being uniformly keyed against turning so that their use would be irnpractical in installations of the present kind wherein the faucet is immovable or not displaceable relative to the beverage container.

The present faucet and tap further include a valve stem 59 on an intermediate portion of which is secured a spider 'i5 whose legs project outwardly into engagement with the inner surface of the outer section of tubular extension 55 so as to maintain the stem 65 axially of said tubular extension 55 and to guide it in its reciprocating movements. The outer end of the valve stem 59 is provided with an externally threaded enlargement l'l for reception of a threaded ring 'l2 by means of which a rubber or other compressible valve head 'f3 is removably clamped to the outer side of the enlargement l! coaxial with stem 69, the head 'i3 being of the plug type and having an annular flange at its inner end clamped between the outer face of enlargement 1i and an inwardly projecting annular flange of ring 'i2 as shown clearly in Figure 3. Valve stem 69 further has an opening 14 at the inner side of enlargement 'l I, and received in this opening is an arm 'i5 keyed on the inner end of a transverse rock shaft T journaled in one side of a boss T'! formed on the top of valve casing 55. The boss 'l1 is provided with a stung box 18 through which the shaft 'i5 extends so as to avoid leakage of fluid from the valve body outwardly around the shaft 76, and keyed to the outer end of shaft 16 is one leg of a yoke 'i9 rigidly formed on the lower end of a handle S5 whose upper end is preferably provided with a ball-shaped weight Si to promote ease of operation of the valve and to facilitate application of sufcient force to the handle B5 so that the valve stern 65 may be utilized to force the bung or cork 53 from the tap bushing of container i5. The other leg of yoke 19 is pivoted on a stud bolt 82 detachably threaded into the opposite side of boss Tl, a suitable washer S3 being interposed between the boss 1l' and the last-named arm of yoke i9 to take up lateral play in the handle and promote its ease of movement. As shown clearly in Figure 4, the ring i2 is provided with outwardly projectng peripheral legs 84 which engage the inner surface of valve body 55 so as to cooperate with spider 'E6 in guiding the valve stem 69.

The outer end of valve body 55 is provided with a suitable nozzle 85, and is provided at the juncture of the valve body with the nozzle with an internal valve seat in surrounding relation to a central restricted discharge orifice 8'?. The valve seat 85 is disposed to be engaged by the valve head 'i3 upon outward movement of valve stem 59, at which time the faucet is closed and fiow of liquid therefrom is prevented. Also, m,

the stem 59 is of such length that when the valve head 13 is seated, said valve stem terminates at its inner end at the rear end of the tubular extension of the valve body and therefore practically in position to engage the bung or cork 53 when the faucet and tap is coupled to the tap bushing B. Accordingly, when handle is actuated to unseat valve head i3 and force the stem 69 rearwardly, said stem will engage bung or cork 53 so as to force the latter out of the tap bushing B upon continued rearward movement of said stem 59. Thus, the faucet is not only used to control the flow of beverage from the container l5, but is utilized to tap said container when the latter is initially coupled to the faucet. Naturally, as soon as the bung or cork is removed, the handle 85 may be actuated to again seat the valve head '.3 and prevent undesirable escape of the beverage from the apparatus. It will be particularly noted that the opening 14 is slightly larger than the arm i5 so that the latter has some play therein. Thus, the arm 15 may have a hammer action against the rear wall of opening "s4 of valve stem 53 when the handle 3i) is actuated t0 move the stem 69 rearwardly, thereby facilitating use of said stem 69 in driving the cork or bung 53 out of the tap bushing B.

The nozzle 85 is preferably made separate from the valve body 55 and formed at its inner end to t snugly in the outer end of said valve body 55 as shown in Figure 3, the faucet 85 having an annular external shoulder adjacent its inner end to confront the outer end edge of valve body 55 and to be engaged by the inwardly extending annular flange of a coupling ring 88 whereby the nozzle is detachably secured to the valve body. The annular flange on the nozzle is indicated at 89, and a suitable packing may be provided between this flange and the end edge of valve body 55 to insure a fluid-tight joint between the nozzle and the valve body. It will of course be understood that the coupling ring 88 is threaded onto the outer end of valve body 55, and it will be noted that the valve seat 86 is formed by an internal ange on the inner end of nozzle 85. By thus forming the nozzle separate from the valve body and forming the valve seat on the inner end of the nozzle, the construction may be easily and economically manufactured, and assembly of the valve stem and parts carried thereby within the valve body may be easily accomplished prior to connection of the nozzle to the valve body.

When the handle or lever 89 is moved to the left of Figure 3, arm 15 will engage the rear wall of opening M and move the stem 69 to the right of said figure so as to unseat Valve head 13. Obviously, a reverse movement of the handle 80 will seat the valve.

To facilitate introduction of air pressure within the container Il! for forcing the beverage out of the latter through the faucet and tap, the air supply pipe 49 may be coupled or connected at its outlet end with the tubular extension 56 inwardly of clamping nut 58 and at a point within the container 5 as indicated at 90 in Figures 2 and 3, the extension 56 having a suitable threaded opening for reception of the outlet end of said air supply pipe 40. Obviously, with the bung or cork 53 removed and the valve head 13 seated, air under pressure may be admitted to container I by way of pipe 40, extension section 51 and tap bushing B from the storage tank 39. This air under pressure will find its way above the body of liquid within container I0, and when the desired air pressure is established within container I0, the supply of air from tank 39 may be temporarily shut off to permit proper discharge of the beverage from container I0 when the faucet is opened. Obviously, the air pressure may be replenished as often as found necessary or desirable, until the entire contents of container Ill are dispensed, The outlet of air tank 39 has a valve 9| for controlling the pressure of air supplied from said tank to container l0, and such outlet is connected with pipe 40 by a fitting 92 arranged exteriorly of and at the front of receptacle and provided with a pressure gage 93 and a safety pressure relief valve 94.

What I claim as new is:

l. A faucet and tap comprising a casing having a valve seat therein, means to couple said casing to the flanged coupling nipple of the tap bushing of a beverage container, a valve slidably guided in the casing, said valve including a head adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to control the flow of the beverage through the casing and a stem engageable with a cork in said tap bushing when the valve is substantially seated and the casing is coupled to the coupling nipple of said tap bushing, and means for operating said valve to seat and unseat the same and to cause the stern to drive the cork out of said tap bushing when the valve is initially unseated subsequent to coupling of the casing to said coupling nipple. 5

2. The combination of a tap bushing for a beverage container having a flanged coupling nipple,

a faucet and tap comprising a casing having a valve seat therein, a valve slidably guided in the casing, means to couple said casing to said coul0 pling nipple, said valve including a head arranged to coopenate with said valve seat and a stem terminating in proximity to said tap bushing when the casing is coupled to the coupling nipple thereof, and means for operating said valve to seat and unseat the same and to cause the stem to drive a cork out of said tap bushing when the valve is initially unseated subsequent to coupling of the casing to said coupling nipple.

3. A faucet and tap comprising a casing having an inlet extension at one end, a nozzle communicating with the other end of said casing, a valve seat in the inner end of the nozzle, a valve slidably guided in the casing, said valve including a head adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to control communication between the casing and the nozzle, and a stem extending throughout the length of the inlet extension, said inlet extension having a nipple and an annular flange adjacent said nipple, a gasket on said nipple at one side of said annular flange, a coupling sleeve rotatable and longitudinally movable on the inlet extension and adapted to interlock with the coupling nipple of a tap bushing, a clamping ring rotatable on the inlet extension at the other side of said annular flange and in screw-threaded engagement with said coupling sleeve for drawing the inlet extension and the coupling nipple of the tap bushing together with the gasket compressed between said annular flange and said coupling nipple, means on the inlet extension to rigidly mount the casing in the Wall of a receptacle, and means to operate said valve to seat and unseat the valve head and to cause the stem to drive a cork out of said tap bushing when the valve is initially unseated subsequent to coupling of the inlet extension to said coupling nipple.

4. A faucet and tap comprising a casing having an internal valve seat, a valve slidably guided in the casing and cooperating with said seat to control the ow of fluid through the casing, said valve having a stem projecting to one end of the casing, means to couple said one end of the casing to the coupling nipple of a tap bushing, and means for operating said valve and for imparting hammer blows to the stem thereof whereby the latter may be utilized to drive a cork fom said tap bushing when the valve is moved in a direction to unseat the same.

KENNETH MILES BURDGE. 

